How to choose a location when building a new home

BY DANIEL SENIA 

Where to build a house is a primary concern for first-time buyers as it determines many of your lifestyle preferences, and when you play your cards right, you can meet all of your needs at an affordable price.

Every region, suburb and neighbourhood offers a unique combination of amenities, atmosphere, community, lifestyle and affordability. That’s a lot to consider – and a lot of pressure to put on the location of your new build.

Arriving at your ideal first home requires some planning and consideration. You can make it a lot easier on yourself with a critical first step – understanding what you and your family need, want and prefer in your home’s location.

Amenities and facilities

What amenities do you and your family need to be near? You may want to be close to schools, parks, shops, childcare or public transport.

Listing which amenities are important to you and your family before you begin looking for the right location will help make your decision easier when you gather information about different spots.

Travel times

How connected to roads and public transport your future home will be is a critical factor in choosing the location.

When shortlisting your favourite and most suitable suburbs, try to determine a realistic view of how long your commute will take, what public transport options are available and future infrastructure plans in the area.

Lifestyle preferences

If you’re not tied to a specific location for work, you have more freedom to find a location that suits your family’s lifestyle and contributes to a community. People usually perceive central areas as more convenient but with a stressful lifestyle, while viewing regional areas as less connected but offer a relaxed lifestyle in a natural setting and with a nourishing community.

In modern times, however, connectivity in regional areas that provides a better quality of life is much less of an issue.

Family and friends

Consider how far away you can comfortably be from your current life, friends, and family while choosing a location. Again, this will tie into the connectivity of your new location, and as long as there are efficient roads or public transport around, it might just mean your journey takes a little longer.

Affordability

The price of building a house is usually the bottom line in most property decisions.. Different locations vary in affordability, depending on the several factors we’ve discussed here, including popularity, lifestyle opportunities and amenities.

Daniel Senia is the managing director of First-Place Building Co. with more than 18 years’ experience in the new home buying industry working with some of Australia’s largest home builders and developers.